Prairie Notes

Right Rudbeckia, Right Place

Rudbeckia is a very recognizable flower. Its bright yellow blooms appear when summer reaches its peak, and flowers steadily through the hottest part of the summer when we all need it most. Also known as black eyed Susan (named after a romantic poem!) or sometimes as yellow coneflower, Rudbeckia is a variable genus with many […]

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Water Smart: Steps to Establishing Your Native Plants

Originally published on April 29, 2015, here are some helpful hints from our Executive Director Scott Vogt on getting your native plants established using “waterwise” methods. Over the past few weeks, we have been fielding quite a few questions about how to properly establish plants purchased at our fall FloraKansas Native Plant Days.  Hopefully, many […]

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The Johnsongrass Problem

This summer in my travels through Kansas and surrounding states, I have seen more Johnsongrass than ever before. It is everywhere. It has proliferated to the point that it is pushing out native vegetation, including remnant prairies and most roadside ditch prairie plants. The expansion of this exotic grass is so aggressive that I am […]

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Plant Spotlight: Spigelia marilandica

Bright red, versatile, compact habit and attracts hummingbirds…why has the landscaping industry so often overlooked this plant? Spigelia is a lesser known and underutilized species for native gardens. We rarely see it in landscape designs in this area, and it can be hard to find commercially available. What gives? Read on to find out about […]

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